


Winter Rose

by LadyofParchments



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate World, F/M, fluff writing, sweet smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:02:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29591124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyofParchments/pseuds/LadyofParchments
Relationships: Female Human x Male Orc, human x orc
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

It was my first time living in such a remote area surrounded by forest and field, and I was loving every bit of it. There were only three cabins in a large clearing built in a sort of triangle and connected by raised platform bridges. Mine was a simple A-frame with a lofted bedroom while the other two were regular cabins though the one in the center was the two-story main house. 

Cyrus, the groundskeeper and maintenance man or wolf as the case was, lived in the cabin almost directly across from mine completing the triangle. Given the wooded area, it was actually comforting that one of the residents was a werewolf and a friendly one at that.

“Yeah, Krothu thought it best to let someone get some use out of the place, and it’s too small for what most people are lookin’ to buy,” Cyrus explained one day over coffee at my cabin as I was getting settled. His lean form and curly brown hair gave him a bit of a gangly quality, but one look in those blue eyes and hearing that gruff voice, I could tell he was certainly older despite his appearance.

“So Mr. Varguk is the reason I got such a great deal on this place?” I asked, bringing a plate of fresh biscuits and jam over to the small dining table.

Nodding, Cyrus offered that wolfish grin of his as he winked at me, taking a biscuit. “Lucky us, we get a nice pretty neighbor.” 

I turned away quickly to refill my cup, waving a dismissive hand at him. “Oh, don’t butter me up, Cyrus, you just want another hot meal.” A soft snort had me glancing over my shoulder, seeing him rub a hand over his stubbled chin as he chuckled.

“Think as ya like, Miss Camellia, but anyone with sense wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a hot meal, ‘specially from your kitchen.”

After hearing all that, I wanted to thank Mr. Varguk since I really needed to get out of the city. Stress had been at an all-time high for far too long and fortunately, both my higher-ups and therapist agreed that remote work might agree more with me. Editing in itself was great, but the endless distractions and constant din of the city made focusing difficult at times. Not to mention the hour long commute just to get from one side of the city to the next and that was _if_ traffic was favorable. 

It wasn’t until three months after I’d moved into my new home that I finally saw my neighbor walking inside his house. Giving my eyes a break from my current client’s work on the laptop screen, I glanced outside and spotted a massive figure heading through the front door of the two-story cabin next door. I rose and went to the window, frowning that I’d missed the chance to meet him as the door closed.

Moving into the kitchen, I looked through my prepared dishes and pulled one covered casserole dish out. I pulled my short red hair into a small ponytail, throwing on my jacket and boots before walking across the bridge connecting my cabin to the main one. 

I took a deep breath and knocked on the heavy front door, hoping that I wasn’t bothering him after he just got here.

The door opened and my eyes widened as I tilted my head back to meet amber eyes. He was tall as most orcs were, and his huge torso nearly filled the width of the front entrance. I couldn’t help feeling diminutive by comparison even if I was on the tall side for a human woman. His white hair was half-tied back while the loose part fell around his mossy green neck. A small scar lined the bridge of his hooked nose, and he raised an eyebrow as his full lips drew down in a soft frown. In a word, he was gorgeous.

“Can I help you?” he growled out. 

His gravelly voice broke me of my stupor, and I blinked and cleared my throat. “Oh, gosh, sorry! I’m… I’m Camellia, I bought the A-frame?” I motioned with my head back towards my cabin, then winced in regret since obviously he hadn’t been selling Cyrus’s home.

“Oh, yeah, the writer! Glad you’re settled in okay.” His frown relaxed into a smile, making his short tusks rise up along his cheeks. 

“I really wanted to thank you, Mr. Varguk, you’ve no idea how much I needed to relocate. And I’m actually an editor, not a writer, though I can see how people would assume that given how often I’m in front of the screen.” I gave a soft nervous laugh as I realized I was babbling a bit, then looked down and remembered the dish. “Oh, here! I hope you like King Ranch Chicken.”

As he grasped the dish in one massive green hand, I took a step back to head to my cabin. “Anyway, I don’t want to keep you from winding down, so enjoy the meal on me.”

“Hold on,” he said, stepping outside the house in a muscle tank and jeans that showed he cut quite the figure with those powerful arms and trunk-like thighs. Holding up two fingers, he rumbled, “First, it’s ‘Krothu.’ Only clients call me ‘Mr. Varguk.’ Second, see that lantern?”

Following where he pointed to the right of the door, I nodded to him though a little confused since usually you’d want a lantern on the side where the door handle was to see in the dark. Right now, it was off even though dusk was approaching, and I guessed he hadn’t turned it on yet.

“When I’m working, that lantern will be on and disruptions… well, they don’t help with my work. Get me?” Krothu asked, tilting his head to the side as more of his white hair fell along that side of his neck.

I held up my hands with a small smile, nodding to him. “Say no more. Light’s on, no distractions.”

The corner of his mouth rose a bit as he held out his free hand to me, which I took and shook. “Now we’ve got an understanding, welcome to the neighborhood.”

~~~ 

A few days after meeting Krothu, I walked out on my porch to find a tote bag holding the now clean casserole dish. Under the lid was a piece of paper with what looked like a phone number and a quickly written note of ‘Thanks for the meal.’ There was also a sketch of a flower bud next to the words, and I couldn’t help smiling at how cute it was, glancing towards the main cabin. 

The lantern was on as it had been the past two days and even through the night. It made me curious about just what Krothu’s work involved that he had to keep such late nights. “Well, if he liked my cooking that much, maybe something else will help him stay focused.”

Within an hour, I had another prepared dish of grilled chicken fajitas with peppers and onions. I also stashed a bag of shredded cheese and flour tortillas on top of the covered dish inside the tote bag he’d left, scribbling a return note, ‘I’m glad you enjoyed. Maybe these will last you a bit longer.’ Almost right as I finished writing, the lantern turned off and I grinned at my chance, slipping on my coat and grabbing the tote. 

Once I was standing at his front door, however, I started to feel the ball of nerves clench inside my stomach. I mean, who was I to think that after enjoying one meal he might want more? Not to mention the lantern just turned off, so how desperate would I look coming over with yet more food? _‘Damn, he might think he’s just let some whackadoo move into his cabin.’_

I set the tote bag of food on his welcome mat, and then knocked three times before quickly heading back home. Luckily, I didn’t hear his door open until I was on my porch, going inside before I dared to look again. He glanced down at the tote before looking at my cabin, and I ducked down, hoping he didn’t see me. 

When I peeked out the window again, both Krothu and the tote were gone and I sighed, slumping to the floor. Having this handsome neighbor was definitely going to take some getting used to. I felt lucky enough that Cyrus was cute even if he was a bit of a flirt, but Krothu was something else entirely.

Later that evening while in the middle of compiling notes for one of my authors, I heard a light knock at the front door. I adjusted my glasses and went to answer it only to see a note drop at my feet, and I barely missed Krothu’s backside as he went inside his house. Bending down to pick up the note addressed to me, my heart sank as I thought, _‘Oh, no. Did I make him uncomfortable? Cami, you idjit.’_

A deep inhale later and I was able to open the note, blinking as my forehead furrowed a bit while I read. 

‘Camellia, 

I guess you’re a bit shy. Can’t say I blame you, most people think of me as some weird recluse if not an intimidating brute. I hope my two rules didn’t scare you and that you come over to chat sometime. When you’re ready, no rush. 

Til then, if you’d like to leave anything for me, there’s a stone table to the left of the front door. Just knock three times. I’ll do the same for you if I haven’t scared you off yet.

-Krothu’

At the bottom of the note was another sketch, this one of a dove alighting on a tree branch. My eyes nearly bugged out when I saw that it was drawn in pen. In ink! I knew maybe one artist friend with the confidence to draw in pen ink, but this was on a different level from her art. It was beautifully detailed from the softness of the feathers to the shadows on the branch and leaves. 

There was also a little signature next to the sketch that read _KOVar_. An artist’s signature? It sounded familiar but I couldn’t really place where I’d seen the name.

Smiling at the note and sketch, I nearly slumped to the floor again, relieved that he didn’t think I was a weirdo. Heck, he even thought that he scared me! Well, there was some truth to that since he did make me nervous even now as my heart tried to settle from the fluttering caused by his note. 

I folded the note, accepting his peace offering, and headed back to my laptop to finish my own work. 

~~~

Over the next few weeks, Krothu and I exchanged letters and sometimes additional items, usually food from me. His letters always included a sketch which I eagerly looked forward to seeing what he’d been inspired to draw that day. The letters were never that complex, simple questions and answers between the two of us. 

I found out that he was an artist and a freelance architect and had even designed and constructed all three of the cabins here. His real passion was in painting and sketching, which was easy to see in the proof of my letters. Krothu also mentioned he appreciated the meals I brought him, especially ones that were easy to put together to heat and eat quickly like the fajitas. I made a mental note about this for future meals I prepared for him.

He seemed surprised that my own work was in the writing field rather than culinary arts, but I replied that I had more fun cooking new recipes on my own without pressure. When he asked about what kinds of books I worked on, I closed my eyes tight and blushed as I wrote back ‘Fantasy Romance is what the authors have been sending me.’ What I didn’t share is that the stories tended to involve mixed race couples featuring stalwart minotaurs, temperamental dragons, and my own favorite… brusque yet tender orcs. _‘Dear gods, I cannot reveal that to Krothu_ or _Cyrus for that matter. I’d never hear the end of it.’_

Sometimes while on my daily walk, I would spy Krothu in the enclosed back patio with either a sketchbook or canvas in front of him. Today was one of those days, and I managed to gather my courage to approach, stopping when I heard him snarl out, “Fuck!”

I blinked and hesitated as he ripped out a piece of paper, crushing it into a ball and hurled it at the patio screen in front of me. Squealing as it bounced off the screen, I held up my hands in surrender. “Sorry! I’ll… I’ll leave you be.”

“Oh, shit, I didn’t even see you there,” Krothu said, raising a hand out to me as he stood up and approached the screen. “Didn’t mean to scare you. Seem to have a bad habit of doing that, though I’d like to break the habit before it starts.”

“Are you having some trouble?” I motioned to the crushed paper ball, glancing up at him.

Shrugging his massive shoulders, he shook his head and I noticed his white hair was completely loose. “I’m just in a bit of a slump. Happens from time to time, and I just need some inspiration. It’s the main reason I love coming back here once I’ve been in the city too long.” 

“I can definitely relate all too well,” I agreed with a soft smile, trying not to hold his gaze too long especially when he said he needed ‘inspiration.’ 

His eyes studied me through the screen, rubbing at the slight stubble along his jaw and raising an eyebrow with a smile. “Hey now, you’re a fresh face. Could you sit for me while I sketch?”

Blinking and widening my eyes, I felt the heat in my cheeks as I looked away. “O-oh me? I’m nothing special… to look at. Not for a… a portrait or anything like that. And… oh, geez, I don’t look that great--” Already my flaws were shouting in my mind, particularly my thunder thighs and bubble butt.

“Oh, no, this is just practice for me,” he corrected himself, clearing his throat. “It’s nothing formal, and it’s only if you’re comfortable. And you’re wrong by the way.”

“Huh? Wrong about…?”

A smile tugged at his mouth and his intense gaze softened a touch as he opened the patio door for me. “You’re very pretty with that peaches and cream skin and your soft hair matching your namesake. Even in graphite, I’d say you’d still be something special to look at.”

My jaw dropped as I didn’t know what to say or how to respond to that, frozen in place right in front of the screen door. His offered hand finally brought a reaction as I almost jolted, blinking and glancing from his face to his large hand. Inhaling a soft breath, I took his hand, feeling the warmth of his palm and fingers as they enveloped all of my pale hand, drawing me inside the patio.

“Um… thank you, Krothu,” I managed to murmur, swallowing a small lump in my throat. 

Chuckling in his throat, he led me to a large, plush floor cushion next to the screen, letting me get comfortably seated. “I guess you don’t hear that often enough, right? Think I’ll need to fix that. Comfortable?”

I nodded to him, and Krothu went to grab his chair and sketchbook, moving the chair closer and sitting down. He turned to a fresh page and rumbled, “Try to look out into the distance as though you’re focusing on something you see there. Or maybe let your mind wander to one of the books you’re editing.” 

_‘Easier said than done,’_ I thought, blinking and looking out towards the trees. Despite facing mostly away from him, my focus remained on the orc sitting rather close to me as I heard his pencil scratching away in the sketchbook. 

My mind kept wondering what he thought about me, what he really saw when looking at me. And even worse, it drifted to thoughts about how his warm palm would feel against my skin, how his lips would taste in a kiss, how he made me feel so much more… delicate.

Again, my cheeks heated with blush and I struggled to shove those thoughts aside, jumping a bit when I felt the back of his hand press against my face.

“You okay? Looking a little warm there.” His brow furrowed as he looked over me.

Our faces were so close, I could swear the heat was pulsing from my skin while blinking at Krothu, my gaze shifting to his mouth before darting back to his amber eyes. Gods, he was so close, so close, so close! Too close.

I moved back with a nervous laugh, saying, “S-sorry, I think it’s… it’s just the weather changing, you know. Winter will be here before you know it. It’ll be my first winter where it snows.”

“You haven’t dealt with heavy snow before?” Krothu growled with a soft frown as I shook my head. He gave a resolute nod, leaning back in his chair while still looking at me. “Guess I’ll be checking in with you regularly in the next few months. Make sure everything in the cabin is airtight and sound to keep you warm.”

“Oh, oh, you don’t have to do that, Krothu,” I protested, holding up my hand. “I can’t keep you from your work.”

Raising an eyebrow, his mouth twisted a bit to the side. “It wouldn’t do for me to let you freeze if there was a heavy blizzard and you ran out of firewood. And you’ve done more for me in sharing your delicious food. Besides, it’ll give me an excuse to take a break and also enjoy meals with the chef.” He grinned at me. 

I opened my mouth and then closed it, realizing I couldn’t argue with his logic in regard to the potential harshness of winter. And I didn’t want to refute his excuse either, smiling and looking down at my hands. “Alright, I’d appreciate the help.”

“It’s no trouble,” he rumbled, bringing his knuckle under my chin to guide my face up to look at him. His grin softened to a smile, and the warmth in his eyes nearly made me melt. 

Winter couldn’t arrive fast enough for me.

~~~To Be Continue~~~


	2. Chapter 2

We’d had a few weeks of crisp, cold weather outside, which was nice when it came to using the fireplace in my living room. In that time, Krothu and I made a point to have a meal together either lunch or dinner twice a week, usually on Tuesday and Friday. Sometimes, Cyrus would join us, I felt it was rude to not invite him, but typically it was just the handsome orc and me. 

The only thing was that my neighbor always chose to bring his sketchbook and graphite with him. I couldn’t blame Krothu, it was his livelihood, but at the same time, it felt a little weird for him to sit at the counter and sketch as I cooked our meal. Especially when some of the sketches were of me moving around the kitchen, bending over to check the oven, or stretching to grab an ingredient or utensil. 

“Drawing a moving person forces me to sketch fast and also capture that moment in time,” Krothu told me when I asked about it, smiling as he showed me the recent spread. 

Twisting my mouth to the side, I groaned at one of the sketches, covering it with my hand. “But does it have to be when I’m bending over like that? I look awkward.”

“What? Lemme see,” he laughed and grasped my hand to move it. Raising an eyebrow, the orc traced one of the thicker lines that showed my body in a scrunched ‘S’ shape. “Crouching has been a hard thing to capture, but look here. See the strength in the bend of the legs and back? You can feel the anticipation and then see it in this close-up here.” He pointed to the sketch below where I saw my side profile, eyes trained on the oven’s window, my lips set in a soft smile.

As the timer went off, I sighed and shook my head, moving back into the kitchen, grumbling, “I still look awkward.” I put on my mitts, opening the oven and pulling out the loaf of bread, and I couldn’t stop my smile after smelling its warm aroma.

Krothu closed his sketchbook and leaned his chin on his palm, smiling and watching me. “I don’t see it. All I see is the effort and care put into making something delicious, and then seeing the joy at the results. Damn though, that smells good.” He audibly swallowed as I set the pan on the cooling rack.

“It just needs to cool for a bit, ah-ah!” I swatted his large hand as he reached for the loaf, seeing his eyes widen before he grinned at me. That grin made me worry as I’d seen it before which resulted in several cookies disappearing before lunch a week ago. “I haven’t even sliced it yet, what are you planning to do? Eat the loaf whole?”

“Oh, I could easily eat the whole loaf,” he admitted with another grin and a deep chuckle. “But then, I wouldn’t have my sandwiches for the next few days.”

“Now you’re thinking straight.”

Tilting his head to the side, he rubbed his growing beard and narrowed his eyes on me. “On the other hand, eating the loaf now would mean getting a different meal from you later.”

My cheeks burned with heat as I turned towards the fridge to grab meat, cheese, and veggies while also hiding what my mind was clearly trying to project. When Krothu teased like this, my mind was all too eager to turn to thoughts of pouncing and kissing him until we collapsed in each other’s arms. And hell, even more than that. Stripping him to see how defined those delicious muscles were, straddling his waist, and hovering over his hard cock.

_‘Oh, dear gods, I need to stop rereading some of the older works,’_ I thought, inhaling a few times while keeping my head in the fridge to cool down.

“Need a hand?”

I yelped, hearing his voice come from right behind me, and bumped into Krothu as I backed away from the fridge. Turning and giving a sheepish smile, I said, “Oh, I-I’m good.”

“You were standing there for a bit, thought you might have more than you can carry,” he rumbled, grasping the meat and cheese from me and moving to the counter with the bread. 

Inhaling and exhaling a long breath, I brought the veggies over beside him, saying, “Sorry, I guess I was just lost in thought.”

“I hear writers do that a lot, so it wouldn't surprise me.” Krothu cocked his head to the side, reaching up to tuck some of my loose hair behind my ear. “Artists get that way, too, the mind wandering down different rabbit holes.”

My breath caught in my throat at his lingering touch, and my hand moved of its own accord, resting against his on my cheek. I turned my head, nuzzling and kissing his large palm, then realized what I was doing and stared wide-eyed at him. _‘Oh… crap. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!’_

Staring down at me and raising his eyebrows, Krothu smiled and then leaned close, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. This completely derailed my worried train of thought as I blinked in surprise, feeling the brush of his tusks along my cheeks. When he moved back, I stared up at him and then raised a hand to my lips, almost disbelieving it had happened and asking, “Did… did you…?”

“Been wanting to do that for a while now, but I didn’t wanna scare you,” he admitted, his cheeks turning a darker green as he gazed at me. Then, a worried look crossed his eyes and his brow furrowed. “I… didn’t scare you just now… did I?”

Taken aback by his admission and how he was _blushing_ , I shook my head and smiled. “No, no! You didn’t scare me… shocked me more than anything. I… so… you like me?” I couldn’t meet his gaze as I asked this, looking at the floor, the fridge, anything else to try and calm my racing heart.

“Tell me how I couldn’t like a woman as lovely as you,” Krothu growled low in his chest, his big thumb caressing my cheek under my glasses as he guided my face to look at him. 

I furrowed my brow and opened my mouth, but he pressed his thumb against my lips, silencing my protests before I could voice them. “Camellia, you are pretty to look at, but what makes you truly beautiful is the warmth you exude. The food you make is proof of that along with your caring nature, especially for the likes of Cyrus and me.”

Turning my head enough to speak around his thumb, I asked, “What do you mean, the ‘likes of Cyrus and you’? You’re both handsome as all get out, I… I have to say I was dumbfounded… when you said you were single, Krothu.” 

“Not many want to take the time to get past the ‘stone wall’ as my agent calls it.” He huffed and shook his head, brushing a hand against my hair. “My focus on work and well, me looking like me, puts a lot of people off. They admire my work, but think the artist is arrogant and intimidating.”

Intimidating I could understand at least at first meeting, but arrogant? Krothu simply has a really focused mindset, and if others couldn’t see that, well… their loss. Reaching up, I grasped the front of his shirt, pulling him down to press another longer kiss to his lips. I moaned when his arms enveloped me, drawing me against his hard chest, once more feeling just how much smaller I was than him.

As our lips parted, I met his heated gaze, caressing his cheek with a smile. “I guess I have more patience than others. Their loss, my gain. That is if you don’t mind… having a bookish nerd around you more often.”

“If I’d minded, you think I’d have written you as much as I did?” he growled, leaning in to nuzzle my palm. “Thought it’d be an easy way to get to know each other, less intimidating.”

“Well, to be honest while I was a bit nervous when we first met… I like your imposing figure,” I admitted, heat burning my cheeks again as I glanced from side to side. “I’ve always been the ‘tall one’ and bigger to boot, but you make me feel petite and… protected.”

One of his hands moved to my face, and he murmured, “You really are a winter rose. Resilient yet delicate.” His lips pressed to my forehead, making me gasp. 

“About damn time, you two,” a familiar voice called from the open front door. Cyrus grinned at both of us in our embrace, curse this cabin’s open floor concept, and he made his way to the counter. 

Still shocked at both Krothu’s admission and now Cyrus appearing out of nowhere, I sputtered, “Cyrus, w-what…?”

“Been giving you both time to each other despite really wanting more of your delectable dishes, Camellia,” the werewolf sighed out, narrowing his eyes on Krothu who merely shrugged in response. “Took you long enough.”

Releasing me, Krothu rubbed a hand on the back of his neck, growling, “I didn’t want to scare her or rush her into something, Cy.” His eyes darted over to me as he gave a soft smile.

Cyrus snorted and gestured towards my bookshelves. “One look at her books would’ve told you the truth. Got some good taste there.” He grinned and winked at me, and my eyes nearly bugged out.

“Wait wait wait, have you been reading my books?!” I nearly shrieked out, feeling the heat creep down my neck and even into my hair. 

“Only some of the finished copies,” he chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. “Maintenance work means I’ve gotta enter your cabin, and you do have a lot of books. Can’t help being curious.”

Groaning, I covered my hot face which even my normally cool hands didn’t help. 

I felt a huge warm hand on my shoulder and a kiss on top of my head as Krothu murmured, “Nothing to be embarrassed about. You read for work yet make time for pleasurable reading, too.”

“Key word ‘pleasurable’,” Cyrus quipped as he snatched a piece of ham. 

“Cyrus!” I screeched at him, slumping against the counter after having my emotions run the gamut. “Sheesh…”

Krothu helped me stand up fully to guide me to the small dining table. “Come on, I think you could use some lunch.” 

After a mostly calm lunch with some sporadic teasing from Cyrus, I walked both of them to my front door without incident. Krothu and Cyrus carried several packed sandwiches as we went onto the porch. 

“Hope I didn’t tease you too much, Camellia,” the werewolf said, sounding sincere and giving me a worried look. 

Shaking my head, I smiled at him and managed not to blush. “A little teasing is okay, but… I appreciate the time you gave. Also, if you want to borrow any of my books… just let me know which titles.”

He grinned and leaned close to kiss my forehead, making my eyebrows raise. “You’re a doll, you know that? I’ll be off then. Oh, Kro, snow’s in the air. Probably gonna be here tomorrow or the next day.” 

“Had a feeling about that,” Krothu grumbled, rubbing his chin with a sigh as Cyrus headed off. Turning to me as my brow furrowed, the orc smiled and kissed my cheek. “Don’t worry, your pipes are winterized and I’ll be checking to make sure you’re okay.”

“Are winters here really that bad?” I asked, worrying that maybe I was under-prepared.

“First snow of the season usually determines how the winter will fair. We’ll see how it goes in the next couple of days.” A wicked grin crossed his lips as Krothu leaned over to growl in my ear, “I can always come over to keep you warm.”

A shiver coursed through my body as I glanced up at him, feeling a hard kiss against my mouth. Huffing when we parted, I bit my lower lip, purring, “I know I’d like that.” 

He chuckled and kissed me again before turning towards his cabin, leaving me a nearly melted sighing mess as I ambled into my home.

Winter _really_ couldn’t arrive fast enough for me.

~~~

_‘Winter couldn’t arrive fast enough… what the hell was I thinking?’_ I stared out at the fat flakes swarming around the air and blanketing the ground, the bridges, and all the cabins’ stairs.

It had been snowing almost the past week with few breaks in the snowfall. Not quite blizzard weather, just a constant steady fall of snow which made getting around a bit more difficult for one not used to it. I shuddered just thinking about driving on an iced over road, but sadly groceries weren’t delivered to our neck of the woods. 

The lights of a snowmobile cut through the swirling flakes, and I forced my triple-layered self to meet Cyrus on my patio. After he’d gone to the store for me, the least I could do was let him warm up inside before he had to make the dash to Krothu’s cabin and then his own. 

“Brrrrr, love this weather!” he howled, carrying several large bags of groceries into my cabin and shaking snow off his fluffy brown hair. 

Okay, maybe I was wrong about him needing to warm up. Werewolf, remember? I smiled at him, still huddling in my sweater and blanket jacket. “Thanks again for going to pick up the food, Cyrus. Want anything to drink or eat?”

“Thanks, sweetie, but I’ve gotta get Krothu’s stuff over to him, too.” Cyrus thumbed outside towards his snowmobile, giving me a wolfish grin. “Besides, don’t you have a dinner date tonight?”

Scoffing at him, I hurried into the kitchen to put away everything. “Don’t say it like that! I mean… yes, I’m having Krothu over for dinner and maybe a movie.”

“Uh-huh, dinner and a show,” he chuckled, winking at me. “Maybe a floor show, hmm?”

“Oh, stop! Now git, you lewd wolf,” I laughed while pointing at the front door. 

After Cyrus left, I went about preparing for tonight’s dinner, making sure the dessert was in the fridge along with the bottle of hard cider. With the meal set, I showered, quickly dried my hair, and dressed in a pair of black leggings, a tank top, and a forest green tunic sweater. It was meant to be a sweater dress, but on me, it was a tunic that hugged my body’s curves in a not-too-bad way. 

I managed to slide on my cozy slippers and check on all of the food before hearing a knock on the front door, calling, “It’s open!”

“Brisk out there,” Krothu growled as he came inside, closing the door behind him and taking off his coat to hang up. 

“Ah, boots!” I pointed at him as he tried to move into the dining area. 

Blinking and chuckling, the orc nodded and slipped off his boots, leaving them on the drying mat near the front door. “Sorry, almost forgot your house rule.” He joined me in the kitchen, and I turned to kiss his cheek.

“It helps in keeping the cabin a bit less dusty and in this case, free of slippery puddles. You don’t want me falling and bruising my… uh, dignity, right?” I blushed at him, using a tasting spoon to scoop up some of the stew.

Krothu’s rich laugh filled my ears and I bit back a moan when I felt his large hand caress my rump. “Wouldn’t want to bruise that. I really like your ‘dignity’ as it is.” His lips pressed to my temple, making me smile. 

We’d become a bit more affectionate since our first kiss, touching each other and stealing kisses and warm embraces. It was hard to contain my growing excitement when being around the orc now that I knew he reciprocated my feelings. Especially since our visits had become daily. Yet there was still that tiny voice in the back of my mind that asked if he truly wanted to be with me or if he was simply settling for someone nearby or scratching some sort of needful itch.

As we sat and ate dinner, the sky grew darker and the wind picked up, gusting wild and sending the snowflakes in a blur outside. I wondered if this was our first blizzard of the season, getting a bit nervous when my lights began flickering. 

Krothu noticed my glance at the lights, reaching out to place his hand on top of mine. “I’ll build a fire once we’re done, so we’ll still have some light.” 

“Thanks, Krothu,” I smiled at him, feeling more reassured with him here tonight. 

The lights suddenly went out, and I gasped, grabbing his hand and glancing around the darkness of my dining and living room. Only the whiteness of the flying snow outside seemed to offer much in the way of light as I barely could see Krothu. It wasn’t as if I was scared of the dark but more concerned about not being able to see much and the possibility of not being able to warm up.

“We’ll be fine, Camellia,” he rumbled in my ear as I felt him lean close to press a kiss to my cheek. I heard him rise and move around the cabin, setting some logs in the fireplace from what I could hear, and a struck match revealed his face in the dark as he lit the kindling under the logs. Soon a roaring fire helped provide light in the dining and living room, and I smiled at him as he returned to my side.

Removing my glasses and standing up, I wrapped my arms around him, nuzzling into his hard chest as my heart thudded heavy and fast in my chest. “Now I’m really glad we made dinner plans tonight. I feel so silly in being so nervous.”

“Nervous? About what?” His hand stroked through my hair, caressing my cheek and coaxing me to look up as he smiled for me. “It’s just us, Camellia, and snowstorms happen all the time here.”

I blinked and looked off to the side, murmuring, “I guess… I felt a bit worried that… well, that you’d change your mind. About coming. I mean… I’m not used to such gorgeous men being attracted to… to me.” Even now pressed so close to his strong form, the throbbing heat began to build between my thighs.

A sharp inhaled breath had me looking back at Krothu as he bit back a groan, pulling me flush against his tense body. His eyes were hooded and glinted like melted gold, and my eyes widened upon feeling the hard press to my stomach. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? Gods, it’s taking all my strength to hold back because… I want to show you so bad,” he growled in a dangerously low voice. 

My breath came in slow huffed breaths after hearing his words, feeling the heat rush to my aching nethers and my face. I had never had such a confession given to me, and my heart beat so fast, I thought it would burst from my chest. Sliding my hands up his chest, I curled my arms around his neck, tilting my head back for him, I whispered, “Then show me.”

Several crackling moments passed until his mouth crashed against mine in a kiss that stole my breath. I opened for him, feeling his tongue slip between my lips, tangling with mine in an electric dance. His hands cupped under my rump, hefting me up against him as he carried me towards the space in front of the fireplace.

Grabbing the comforter from the back of the couch on the way, he placed it on the wooden floor as best he could with one hand and set me down on my feet. I huffed out as his hands slid down my sides, his fingers slipping under my sweater and pushing it up, tugging it over my head and arms. He then pressed a hand against my shoulder, coaxing me to lie down on the comforter in front of him.

I grasped his sweater when he moved to hover over me, tugging it up as best I could and demanding, “Off, I want to see you.”

Krothu’s answering smirk nearly undid me as he pulled the sweater up and tossed it with mine. “Happy now?” he asked, leaning over my outstretched body.

“For now,” I purred, reaching up to touch and stroke over each sinew of muscle. How could a man this powerful and this handsome… want someone soft and plump like me? The question came to mind unbidden, but his next words slashed through it like a sword.

“So soft, so warm,” he rumbled while taking off my tank top and letting my heavy breasts fall free. Bending over, his full lips enveloped one of my nipples, the tip of his tongue tracing it and making me gasp and squirm beneath him. 

A large, warm hand cupped my other breast, his thick fingers caressing and stroking along the soft mound while his palm rubbed the nipple. My arms came around his neck, threading my fingers into his white hair having a golden sheen from the fire. As he stroked and tended, I wiggled more and squeezed my thighs together, whining, “Krothu.”

“Mmmm.” His voice reverberated in my chest as he released my nipple with a wet sound, giving me that smirk from before. Another deep kiss pulled a loud moan from my throat. “Hard to stop touching such soft, smooth skin. Now… what does my winter rose want?”

Swallowing a small lump in my throat, I met his hot gaze and watched his tongue slide over his luscious mouth. My arms squeezed around him, and I raised my hips up to rub through his jeans, rasping, “I want you, Krothu. Take me.” 

He shifted on top of me enough to smooth one large hand down my naked, trembling torso, his thumb hooking in the waistband of my leggings and panties. Making short work of them, the orc traced a thick finger along my wet slit before it eased inside of me as I let out a shuddering gasp. 

“Already so wet,” Krothu snarled, wiggling his finger and stroking along my dripping folds. His thumb rubbed and circled the sensitive bud of my clit, sending a bolt of pleasure jolting through my throbbing body. 

My voice came in needy mewls as only his finger and thumb worked over my nethers, and I managed to squint my eyes open to see him intently watching me. When his thumb pressed hard to my clit, I cried out, “Oh, gods!” My hips bucked hard to his finger as my released cream coated his finger.

Panting and shivering from his ministrations, I opened my eyes to see Krothu sliding his finger from me. Then, he sucked and licked along his thick digit, never taking his eyes off of me. “Mm, knew you’d taste good.” 

“H… how could… you know that?” I asked in between panting breaths, swallowing and sitting up on my elbows.

Breath caught in my throat as he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, inching them down his hips and those muscled tree trunks he had for thighs. His hefty cock sprang to full mast though still drooped under the thick weight of him. Pushing the last of his clothes away, he hovered above me, his hands resting above my shoulders as he gazed down at me with a soft smile.

Leaning close to my neck, Krothu inhaled a long breath and pressed a kiss there, growling against my skin, “Your scent is intoxicating. Sweet and musky, it nearly drowns me… each time I’m with you when you’re in need.” His lips pressed soft kisses down my neck and to my chest until he could see my face.

“Sorry I took so long to come clean… I guess my advances were too subtle,” he rumbled, rubbing our noses together and pressing his forehead to mine. “Forgive me?”

I shook my head, holding his face and closing my eyes to stop the tears from forming. “There’s nothing to forgive, Krothu. I’m used to… not having my feelings reciprocated. As I said, not many gorgeous men admit to feeling something for me.” 

“They’re fucking fools and don’t deserve a woman as beautiful as you,” Krothu snarled out, pressing a hard kiss to my lips and moaning against me. Pulling back with a grunt, he huffed and murmured something I couldn’t quite make out. 

“What was that?”

Exhaling another huff, he met my eyes with fire in his gaze and shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to see that side just yet.” He started to rise off of me, but my arms and legs grasped around him, making the orc blink at me.

My lips pursed into a tight line as I stared at him, stating, “Krothu, I want to know all of you, flaws and all.”

“You sure of that? I can be brutal when impassioned by what I care about,” he growled, brushing a hand through my hair. “I am an orc after all.”

Nodding to him, I chanced a smile. “I know, which is why I want to know you fully. You deserve to be yourself around me, and I want you to feel that you can be yourself with me.”

Krothu inhaled a long breath, letting it out in a heavy sigh and pressing his brow to mine, staring within my eyes. “I would gut those fools that brushed you aside and use their blood to cover my canvas in camellia blossoms. That’s the _only_ way they would be nearly as beautiful as you.” 

I stared at him in wide-eyed astonishment, seeing the truth laid bare within his fierce eyes. His brutality was unexpected, yet there wasn’t any fear or worry rising in my mind. Instead, I felt my body thrum with heat and desire for this passionate orc that freely offered such a savage response toward others who had rejected me. 

Arching my hips to his, I kissed Krothu in desperation as if the only way I could breathe was through him. I broke the kiss, pleading with him. “Take me, Krothu… my brutal, beautiful love. I want all of you.”

His eyes widened as he tensed above me, and I could feel his heart pounding wildly through his chest pressed to mine. “You still want me… after hearing that?”

“Yes, I need you, Kro… all of you… please,” I whimpered, squeezing around him with both my arms and legs. 

Reaching back, he grasped my ankles and removed my legs from around his waist, that soft smile returning to his face. He released one of my legs, moving to take hold of his girthy shaft and pressing the dripping head to my waiting nethers. Slowly, he eased the tip inside of me, making me cry out and press my head back into the comforter as my legs quivered. 

“Easy, love… don’t want to hurt you,” he warned in a strained voice, stilling above me.

I nodded to him, inhaling a long breath and letting it out in a slow exhale to relax my tight body. Raising my head, I watched as his monstrous cock slid a bit more inside of my channel, taking another breath and releasing it again. I grunted, “Ung… so thick.”

“Fuck, you’re so… so tight… and warm,” Krothu groaned out in return, finally fully sheathed inside of me, and heaving out hard breaths. Ducking his head to look at our joined bodies, he seemed to marvel at how his girth fit so snugly within me. “Gods… I could die here.”

“Please don’t!” I cried in protest, furrowing my brow at him even as he grinned. 

Bending down, he kissed me, catching my lower lip between his and nuzzling his lips and tusks to my face. “And miss all of this wonder beneath me?” He raised up and braced his upper body on his hands above my shoulders, rocking back before pushing back inside of me. “I’d be a damn fool.”

My hands smoothed up his chest to grip his massive shoulders, squeezing the muscles there as he slowly rocked inside of me. I bucked my hips to match his pace, though it was tough with his delicious weight on top of my body. A keening moan erupted from my throat when he shifted the way his hips moved, his cock reaching an unusually sensitive place within me. “Oh, damn… just there… more!”

Krothu huffed a hot breath against my breasts as his pace increased, driving his shaft inside to strike that delectable part of me as I cried out with each thrust. “Music… to my ears,” he rumbled, ducking down to capture one of my nipples in his mouth, suckling and flicking his tongue over my peaked nipple. 

Shrieking out a wail as pleasure pulsed and pooled between us, my walls fluttered and clenched around his cock as I arched off the comforter, gasping for breath as the heat released. My body shuddered under him, riding the aftershocks of my orgasm even as he still drove inside me. Rolling my head back, I huffed out in hard breaths still in a state of bliss and barely noticing when Krothu raised one of my legs to rest against his chest and shoulder. 

“Second course,” he growled out, rolling his hips and drilling his shaft inside of me in a near frenzy. My voice was a chorus of cries, moans, and whines as I could only ride his wonderfully thick cock, squeezing around him and hearing his responding grunts and groans. I was Krothu’s canvas and he painted me as he wished, transforming me into a writhing and wanton beast.

His roar echoed through my cabin as he pushed inside me one final time, releasing a surge of hot and thick cum. Huffing above me, Krothu inhaled a deep breath and gazed down at me, reaching to cup a huge hand around my cheek. “My beautiful winter rose…”

I managed a tired smile, raising a weak hand to press against his on my cheek, murmuring, “My brutal… beautiful orc…” It was the last thing I remember before exhaustion and darkness claimed me. 

When I finally woke, I was tucked under the layers of my warm bed, still naked but alone. I sat up, looking around to try and find Krothu, my brow furrowed in worry that he’d left. Heavy steps coming up the loft stairs heralded his approach, and I smiled upon seeing him, also still naked. 

He seemed surprised when he saw I was sitting up, but smiled at me, coming to kneel next to my side of the bed. “You okay?”

“Mhm, better than okay,” I admitted, heat creeping up my face as I glanced at the floor. “Likely sore, but it’s a good sore.”

Chuckling in his throaty laugh, Krothu caressed my cheek and his thumb brushed over my lips, rumbling, “I’m glad. I, uh, took care of stuff downstairs after bringing you up here. Put the food away and checked the fuse box. Power’s back on, but… I thought you could use the rest so left the lights off.”

“Thank you, Krothu,” I sighed, kissing his thumb. “For everything.”

“Does that mean you’ll believe me when I say you’re beautiful and I want to see you more often?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Nodding to him, I grasped and squeezed his hand. “It might take some time to fully accept, but you’ve certainly made a good case for belief. Will you join me? Think I could use some cuddling to warm up.”

Krothu laughed again, leaning in to press a kiss to my lips, crawling over me to the open side of the bed. Lifting the blankets, his brow furrowed as he looked over at me. “How can you possibly need to warm up in this den of heat?”

“Different kind of warmth?” I grinned, snuggling against his side. 

Wrapping his arm around me, he gently smacked my rump and earned a squeak from me. “Not only warm and beautiful, but cheeky, too. You’ll make life even more interesting, my winter rose.”

Stranded at home with a handsome orc during a snowstorm, I couldn’t help smiling as we rested in my bed. Winter was definitely my new favorite season. 

~~~


End file.
